Feliz Ano Novo!

Well, Merry Late Christmas! I will say that my Christmas call to home was awesome and weird at the same time. I thought "Wow! I actually had a life before my mission and I have a family...what?!" I had to think a lot just to speak in my native language and my favorite part was when I shared the spiritual thought in Portuguese....because I didn’t have to think as hard! Did talking to my family make me trunky (homesick)...NO...only freaked me out a little. But don’t worry, I do love my family...but I love being a missionary...more...for right now...(mom don’t kill me)!

Well, Sister Mitchell left me...and I miss her like crazy! I mean we were pretty much long lost sisters!!

My new comp, Sister Figueredo, has as much time in the mission as I have left (hope that made sense). But she is a cutie! We work well together and work super hard! But the heat we've been having here has been a fun sucker for the work...and it’s not going be leaving anytime soon. But we had our first baptism together last night!! Rodrigo! It was beautiful! And we have Christian, 11y/o, who really wants to be baptized and he will be on the 17 of Jan!! When we asked him why he wanted to be baptized he said "I don’t want to be a kid on the street any more, I want to be a church boy now" You can’t deny that he has a huge desire to be baptized! I just love teaching him!

Sister Figueredo and I decided we are going to be more consecrated missionaries and so our first night together we made goals. Well, we have already seen many milagres and I’m just happy that she is so willing to help me finish off my mission strong. On Jan 1 we are going start this 40 day fast (not a fast fast...like with food) and so for 40 days you give up bad habits and start new more righteous ones! We are ready to leave everything on our altar of sacrifice!

Yesterday, I gave a talk about making spiritual metas, and since I am a missionary, I would like to extend an invitation to you all. This year I would like all of you to make your spiritual goals before any other goal...because this year is your year to really come unto Christ with all that you have. In Alma 34:32 it states,

For behold, this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God; yea, behold the day of this life is the day for men to perform their labors.

We prepare when we make goals...we perform when we complete or reach our goals. So here are the goals I would like to invite you to use!

1- Learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints by accepting the missionaries in your home.
2- read the Book of Mormon cover to cover.
3- If you are a new member, start preparing to enter the temple.
4- if you are a Young Woman or Young Man, start preparing for a mission!!!!(it’s the best thing in the world)

I’ve never seen so many blessings or been so happy in my life and I know that it is because of this Gospel. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God that testifies of Jesus Christ. It is the most powerful and correct book in the world, and if you read it your desire to do what is right, come unto Christ, will grow. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. And I know that Joseph Smith was the profeta that restored the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that if we follow the Prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, that we will always be in safe territory and that if we stay true till the end we will be able to live with our Heavenly Father once again. This is the message we missionaries bring to the world...this is the message that all the members of the church should share. Stop being shy (members), open your mouth and testify of what you know to be true!

I love each and every one of you guys! Make the best of this new year!

Come muito amor,
Sister Perez

The dress..a gift from sister mitchell

Found a box..and yes I just had to buy a shirt!

The new comp! Sister Figgy

Didn't cry while skyping my parents..so the members made me cry!

The Campinas Temple!

The crazy holiday season....and my birthday

I have 10 minutes to write, because this lan-house closes at 1:00.
ITS A HOLIDAY TODAY.........again...........there are many here in Brazil

This week was incredible!
We are the best of friends, Sister Mitchell and I. It is wonderful to work together.

We grabbed a bus today, and ended up taking a 1.5 hour long tour around Campinas and to the out skirts. The bus stopped abruptly, and the bus driver asked where we were going. We told him where we "thought" we were going, and he motioned for us to grab another bus, which took us All the way back to the center.....yeah we are never gonna try a new rout...ha, ha

We baptized Evans!!!! It was awesome...we wanted to wait till next week because of all the things going on in the stake and people being too busy...but he told us that he didn’t want to wait and so we said ok. So 8 am on Sunday he was baptized by a recent convert! Oh it was beautiful! He was so happy! And he was so spiritually prepared!

Well my birthday was this Monday! And we ended up working...so really, what better way to celebrate your birthday?!?! In the morning Sister Mitchell woke me up with my present...a knitted yellow sweater (that I just loved) and some awesome crazy printed leggings!!! Then we went for a run and the she made me French toast! Then we worked!

The last week was such an awesome week...I honestly don’t remember much, but we had 28 lessons!! We just wanted to go big before Sister Mitchell goes home....

So, what have I learned being with Sister Mitchell, a dying missionary (not literally, just going home), a whole lot of things! For one, the spirit is super important in this work, and if you and your comp don’t have the same vision...good luck! And just because you are dying (going home) doesn’t mean you have to be trunky (home sick)...literally; it’s all about working till your last day! And it’s not about what you want to do...it’s about what the Lord wants you to do. Seriously she is an awesome missionary. And I’m so sad that I can’t have a whole 6 weeks with her. But in these past 4 weeks, I have totally forgotten about myself and literally lost myself in the work. Something really cool...I feel like my time with her was like a check point for my mission...and as of right now I can honestly say that the Lord has accepted my work up to this point.

Oh, so today was our festa de natal! It was soooo fun and wow there are a ton of missionaries in this mission. Like when we sang the opening hymn it was sooooo powerful! ha....all the zones performed a Christmas song...we had a pretty cool one...and then we had lunch...and then we sang for Santa, Sister Mitchell, Elder Calk, and I...I’ll try to send that video.....we got all our boxes...and we (every missionary) got a fruit cake...yay! …ha, ha

But yeah...my time is up and we need to start packing Sister Mitchell’s bags...she leaves tomorrow!!!!

Thanks for the Birthday emails!! Te amo

Com MUITO AMOR
Sister Perez...who has 21 years of age!!

Evans baptism!

I've never eaten so much pizza till I got to this area! #freepizza

our planning outfits

this is one ugly skirt...never wore it again!

I THINK I KNOW WHAT COMPLETE JOY IS.

Yes right now my life is totalment complete (totally complete)! Porque im (because I’m) in a temple zone! My new area is Planalto, which is in the Flamboyant Zone, and I’m already best friends with my comp Sister Mitchell!! And yes she is another Americana! And I’m the missionary who will be killing her (not literally, mission jargon for last companion before the missionary goes home)....she goes home December 18...but we don’t talk about that much. And the ward is awesome...and this area is really, really blessed! I mean what more could a little brown (yes, she’s getting very tanned) missionary want?!?! Ok beside more sleep...nothing...because things are just amazing!

Let’s start with a little intro of Sister Mitchell! Well…she knows Riley Carter (Riley is from Memphis and is also on a mission in another part of Brazil; what a small Mormon world) because she went to BYU Provo (my mom’s dream school for me) and she’s a runner, artist, singer, and a goof just like me! I’m Pretty sure she is my twin...in spirit. And from day one we hit it off super-duper well!! We definitely have the same desejos (desires) and vision, and because of that we are able to teach together so effortlessly. Seriously! I love this sister!!

So let’s talk about the milagres (miracles) that we have been seeing. But before that, there is an Elder Holland talk about missionary work and the Atonement. He says that this gospel is the best thing we have on this earth...and with the happiness it brings why aren’t people coming to us wanting to be baptized?! Ok, well keep that in mind as you read the next few parts!!!

Our focus this week was to find new people to teach...so of course we talk with everyone and we try to hit up all our referências (referrals). One day we were walking to go knock some doors and there was a girl just standing by a big green door. Before we even talked to her she asked "are you Jehovah Witnesses?" We then told her who we were (Missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...booyah) and she asked if we shared any sort of message...yeah we share a message...a message of eternal salvation! Then she told us she wanted to hear it and she took us to her house...AND WE TAUGHT HER!!!!! I remember just looking at Sister Mitchell and thinking 'is this real life.....did this girl just invite us to teach her...woahhhhhh' but yes ladies and gents it was real life and her name is Iltany!!!

Ask any missionary how many times they were let into the condomínio (condominium complex) of their referência (referral)...and they will probably tell you "not often". Well this referênica was such an eleito (elect) that we got to enter his condomínio and boy was he so happy to see us!!! We ended up teaching him in the lobby, but during the whole lesson he just had the happiest little smile, and he was just so ready to find answers and start on this path! He also knew a lot about the church and it wasn’t any of the bad stuff...it was all the good things...or better said all the TRUE things. And this milagres (miracle’s) name is Eduardo!

We are also teaching a guy from Haiti!!! His name is Evans and like us, he doesn’t speak perfect Portuguese! And he has such a sweet and pure spirit!! He always asks us really good questions (like the ones you have to study for or ask Daddy Perez and then answer him) and he is really seeing the blessings of the Gospel! Oh...and he is teaching us French! Sister Mitchell and I can say I’m a missionary and that I’m hungry in French now!! I love teaching him!!!

And our last milagre: Rodrigo. I’ve never worked so hard during a lesson. I don’t think I’ve ever prayed so much during one either...but it paid off. Why? Because the spirit was so strong, and Rodrigo was changed during that lesson. I’ve never felt so happy. At the end of this amazing lesson, Rodrigo accepted the convite (invite) to be baptized! And I can’t wait to teach him again...with that same spirit!

All these milagres are proof that you cannot do this work without the Spirit, without the same desejos (desires) that your comp has, without the same vision, and without união (unity). If you don’t have those things, yes, you´ll still get things done...but it won’t be so enjoyable...so uplifting....it won’t be the way the Lord wants it to be. AHHHHH I’ve never been just so happy on my mission...it’s seriously the best thing. And I’m so blessed to have Sister Mitchell as my comp!

On another bright side I think we ran/walked 17 miles trying to get to all of our appointments! Ha, it was awesome!!!

Being a missionary is the best job in the whole wide world!!!!

Te amo Sister Perez

 And since it is that time of year...